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Trust
Offstage Interactions Ting Wu stood as far away from Colonel Gentlemen as was possible given the cramped bridge and common area of the airship. She sipped on her newly procured Chinese tea, eying him with a diamond hard stare. Her other hand held a second cup and saucer, brimming with hot liquid. Having already made her rounds Colonel Gentleman was now the only one without a cup. However she made no move to cross the distance, simply staring at him, cup in hand, stone still. The room was deafeningly silent, thick with the quiet of all the conversations not going on. Out of the corner of his eye, Colonel Gentlemen caught Ting Wu's icy stare and realized that the jig, as they say, was up. "Miss Dodge, would you kindly take the helm. I believe I need a moment to compose myself up after these, uh, most recent revelations..." he said, at last breaking the silence. Making subtle eye contact with Ting Wu, Colonel Gentlemen left the helm under Verdie's control and excused himself to the rear cabin. After a suitably proper delay, Ting Wu politely excused herself, bowed, and followed after him. She closed the door softly behind her, and approached him with a calm but icy stare. "I suppose we have much to discuss here," said Colonel Gentlemen with a distinctly American accent. Ting Wu's eyes grew slightly wider as yet another deception was revealed. Crossing the distance, she shoved the cup and saucer into Colonel Gentlemen hands, sloshing some on his shirt. “What is next Colonel Gentlemen? Will I find out that you are perhaps the Emperors own long lost son?” Her voice was low and calm. Even though she looked up at him, her ferocity was not diminished and perhaps was enhanced by the fact that she did not rant or rave. “I have had some experience with Dragons, Colonel.” She turned her back to him, walking to the far wall by the door, her own cup in hand. “None of it good.” She turned to lean against the wall, sipping her tea. A well trained eye could see that her at ease look, masked the fact that every muscle was tensed. “Now I can't fault you for your ... condition. It wasn't your doing. Nor the fact that we all assumed you human. The question was never presented so was never in need of answering.” She looked up from her tea, “No, that I do not care about.” "Calm yourself my good lady, please. First off, my real name is Dirk Smallwood, Colonel Gentlemen is just a pseudonym under which I travel." Ting Wu remained silent and Colonel Gentlemen continued. "Yes, uh... Well I did hide my true nature and I am glad that you hold me blameless for those actions. Most people, given a choice, would rather not deal in the affairs of my kind. And even though I am only half-dragon, the average man or woman doesn't seem to care of the differences. So when you have lied and hidden your true nature for as long as I have, the lying becomes almost second nature. There was no malice intended I assure you." Colonel Gentlemen cleared his throat and took a sip of tea. “I do not care about all that!” The verve of which she made the statement was unusual for Ting Wu, and the cup she had been so calmly sipping from was flung to the floor, it's contents darkening the carpet. “What I need to know,” she advanced upon him once more, “is who do Dragons talk too? Are you sent by the Emperor?!” she stabbed one graceful finger into the low of his chest, being what she could reach. “I will not go back!” she growled in a low tone. Colonel Gentleman was, for perhaps the first time ever, speechless. His eyes grew wide with confusion and he stammered a bit. "Th-The what? Emperor? Emperor of where? I have absolutely no idea what in the blazes you are talking about!" Ting Wu reached up with both hands and grasped him about the collar. With a hard jerk, she brought him down to eye level with her, which was probably a most uncomfortable position for him. Staring hard into his eyes, searching into them, she waited for any response, his eyes dilating, sweat to break from his brow, even a slight twitch to give away any more lies. None appeared and all his eyes spoke of was overwhelming puzzlement. She waited a few more moments, her nose almost touching his. “I suppose, Dirk Smallwood, I shall believe you for the time being.” And thus released him from her iron grip. Colonel Gentlemen stood back up slowly, quietly pulled down on his shirt, re-tucking it where it had come loose and adjusted his jacket. "Of course now I am all the more curious as to whom you were referring to just now..." he half spoke, half muttered. “And by what rights should I tell you Mr. Smallwood? You whom I've known as Colonel Gentleman coming on nigh three months.” She took a polite step back off his toes. Keeping her eyes off his waist where his shirt had come loose. "Well, I suppose you needn't reveal anything. However in the spirit of openness I have revealed information about myself which I have been keeping secret; my true identity in more ways than one... I believe it to be only fair that you share some such information about yourself." Smirking a little, he adds "However if you are too prideful to share such things then perhaps I have assumed too much." “I should cook you where you stand.” Ting Wu drew her self up her full 5ft 2 inches. Then moved over to the table, where she perched, fiddling with the folds of her silk before looking up at him, resolved. “Do you remember our first voyage together? Strange men in black robes? Olive complexions?” She folded her hands in her lap. “Almond shaped eyes?” She blinked. “Who do you think they were after? The crew of that barge?” She smirked back. “Shirley a wise dragon would have figured it out sooner.” She brushed a hand down her beautiful silk cloths. “And of my cloths and accessories, fine silk, jewels to adorn my hair. From whom would I have gotten them? And for that matter, who would send so many men after one... little... spell caster?” She tisked at him. A coy smile spread across his face as he spoke. "I have made it a point in my many years to never jump to the obvious conclusion. Making connections in one's mind often leads to false assumptions. Were those men after you? Neither the color of their skin nor the shape of their eyes are proof of that. Your clothes are, as far as I am aware, merely the customary dress of your homeland. Many far off lands are said to be full of riches and splendors. I would never have assumed that you had simply pilfered them from your former employer." He stopped to take a sip of the now quite cooled tea, waiting to see how Ting Wu would react. “If we do not take intuitive leaps Mr. Smallwood, then we are but creatures mucking about in the dirt.” She cocked her head to one side, looking up at him. “But I digress. I shall give an answer, but mark me, should I find that you have played me false, you WILL live to regret it. Of that I will make certain. And regardless of my previous ... affection for you, I will spare you no pain.” Her eyes flashed a warning at him. “I have angered the Emperor of China, himself. The Dragon Emperor.” She emphasized Dragon. “He who hordes not treasure or things, but people themselves, power over a nation.” Colonel Gentlemen was visibly taken a back. "I... I do not know what to say to that... Well you obviously know better than I do what the consequences of your actions are. But still your revelation does convince me of one thing I had not been sure of before. If you have truly made an enemy of this great dragon, then you would be wise to seek allies of similar strength and abilities. I am willing to be one of those allies if you would but ask. Dragons do not make friends lightly, as you undoubtedly already know, and we will fight tooth and nail to protect them if endangered. So it comes down to this; shall we be allies and friends or merely cheerful strangers sharing tea and a cramped cabin in some horrid flying machine?" Ting Wu looked away, “You do me an honor, Mr Smallwood.” she smiled thoughtfully, “Perhaps it is time to accept a friend.” She thrust out one small hand in facsimile of English men she had seen do the same. “I would be privileged to have you as a friend and Ally.” Much to Ting Wu's surprise, Colonel Gentlemen smiled and bowed in a traditional Chinese manner before accepting her outstretched hand and giving it quite a hardy handshake. "I hope I did that right. My father always tried to teach me the common courtesies of the foreign lands... I suppose I paid attention to at least some of it." Ting Wu's eyes sparkled as she smiled up at him, pleased. Colonel Gentlemen spoke again with his previous British accent and smiled broadly. "Well, jolly good then. Shall we rejoin our compatriots in the fore-cabin? I suspect that they are growing rather curious as to what the two of us are doing here in such secrecy. I dare say we don't want to raise any untoward notions!" And with that he strode briskly towards the door pausing just before opening it. "Oh, and incidentally, I would appreciate it if you would continue to refer to me as Colonel Gentlemen. Partially because I've become rather fond of the name but mostly because I do not believe the others would quite understand my need for such deceptions as you do. Oh, and of course Masterson should probably not be informed of any of this. Who knows what one such as he is liable to say when soused and in need of a boast to best all others!" Ting Wu let out a genuine laugh. “I suppose I can continue to call you by the name I've known you so long as. And I wouldn't tell that mongrel of a man ANYTHING if I can at all help it.” He opened the door, and held it. "After you my lady." She headed to the door, but as she passed by the Colonel she whispered, her eyes on the floor, “You know, untoward notions would not be SO unobjectionable.” she passed hurriedly through the door and headed off to her quarters. * Written by Steve and Sarah via Email